Main Bonsai styles
The five basic Bonsai styles are formal upright, informal upright, slanting, semi-cascade and cascade, though there are many other styles. All of them have their own individual beauty.
Formal Upright
The formal upright style is a very common form of Bonsai. This style very often can be met in nature, especially when the tree has lots of light and doesn’t have problems from competing trees. The trunk must be thicker at the bottom and must grow thinner with the height. The top of the tree should be formed by a single branch.
Informal Upright
This style is common as in nature, so in the art of Bonsai. The trunk grows upright in the shape of a letter ‘S’ and at every turn there is branching. Tapering of the trunk should be clearly visible, and the base of the trunk is thicker than the higher part.
Slanting or Leaning
When the wind is blowing in one dominant direction or when a tree is in the shadow and must curve toward the sun, the tree will also lean in one direction. In case with Bonsai, the tree must grow at an angle of 60 - 80 degrees to the ground. Because of the growing conditions, the roots are well developed on one side to hold the tree standing. The first branch grows in the other direction to that the tree is leaning to balance the tree. The trunk can be bent a little bit or completely straight, but should be thicker at the bottom.
Cascade
In the nature a tree can tend to grow downward on a steep cliff as a result of such factors, as snow or falling rocks, for example. This style can be difficult to maintain as the direction of growth opposes the tree’s natural way of growing upright.
Cascade Bonsai are planted in tall containers. The tree should grow upright a little bit but then bend downward. The crown of the tree grows as a rule above the rim of the pot, but the next branches alternate left and right. These fronds should grow horizontally to be able to maintain the balance of the plant.
Semi-Cascade
The semi-cascade style is similar to the cascade. The trunk grows upright at first and then turns downward. Unlike the previous style, the semi-cascade trunk will never grow below the bottom of the container.